MILKING BOX WITH ROBOTIC ATTACHER AND BACKPLANE FOR TRACKING MOVEMENTS OF A DAIRY ANIMAL

摘要

A milking box comprises a stall portion and a backplane positioned in the stall portion. The backplane moves toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane. The backplane moves toward the front of stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface. A robotic attacher extends from the rear of the stall portion and between the hind legs of a dairy livestock located in the stall portion. A controller determines the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion. The controller determines an x-offset based at least in part upon the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion, wherein the x-offset increases as the dairy livestock moves toward the front of the stall and the x-offset decreases as the dairy livestock moves toward the rear of the stall. The controller further communicates a signal to move the robotic attacher in an x-direction, the amount of movement determined at least in part according to the x-offset.

主权项

1. A milking box, comprising:
a stall portion; a backplane positioned in the stall portion of the milking box, and configured to:
move toward the rear of the stall portion in response to pressure applied to a contact surface of the backplane; andmove toward the front of the stall portion in response to pressure removed from the contact surface; a robotic attacher configured to extend from the rear of the stall portion and between the hind legs of a dairy livestock located in the stall portion; a controller that is programmed to:
determine the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion;determine an x-offset based at least in part upon the position of the backplane relative to the rear of the stall portion, wherein the x-offset increases as the dairy livestock moves toward the front of the stall and the x-offset decreases as the dairy livestock moves toward the rear of the stall; andcommunicate a signal to move the robotic attacher in an x-direction, the amount of movement determined at least in part according to the x-offset.